The Chase (24 page)

“Come on girls.” Kendall motioned towards the door. “Let’s go outside and I’ll show you that clover patch I was telling you about. Maybe Elizabeth will teach you all how to make clover wreaths to hang on the school horses’ stalls.”

Samantha looked at Anne. “Can I go with them, Mommy?”

“Of course you can. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Samantha caught up with the other campers, with Ben following close behind.

Anne stopped to thank the horse handler, and as she turned for the door, she saw that Jake had hung back and was waiting for her.

Jake held the door open for her. “Mr. Cummings told me that Chancellor might come home this weekend. If you need help transporting him, please let me know. I’d be happy to lend a hand.”

“Thanks, Jake. That’s very kind of you. I’ll be sure to tell Doug.”

When they emerged from the swimming pool building, Anne saw Elizabeth and Kendall sitting with the girls in a grassy area under the shade of a maple tree.

“They look like they’ve found themselves a cool spot,” Jake said.

Elizabeth looked at them and waved.

Jake waved back. “Poor girl, she’s a little down in the dumps today.”

“Why?”

“Todd didn’t get to come along on the field trip.”

“Who’s Todd?”

“He’s a kid who works at Fox Run. He and Elizabeth have taken to spending a lot of time together. Mrs. Southwell told Todd he had to stay behind today because they’re short-staffed in the barn, but, in truth, I think she may have picked up on the vibes between Todd and Elizabeth, and she’s trying to separate them.”

Anne raised an eyebrow. “I wonder if Elizabeth’s father knows about Todd.”

“I don’t know. But it seems like Elizabeth and Doc Carey are real close, just like with your daughter and your husband.”

Anne smiled. “I can only imagine how Doug will handle it when Samantha is old enough to date.” She watched Samantha, who lay belly-down on the ground next to Kendall, intently combing through the grass. “I wonder what she’s looking for.”

Kendall glanced over towards where she and Jake were standing and rose to join them.

“What’s Samantha doing?” Anne asked.

“They’re collecting cloverleafs to make wreaths, and Samantha, bless her heart, is determined to find a four-leaf clover to give to Doug so he won’t get hurt again.”

Tears welled up in Anne’s eyes.
What a burden Samantha must be carrying
. Outwardly, Samantha seemed to be handling Doug’s accident all right. But it was obviously weighing heavily on her mind.

Kendall put her arm around Anne’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”

Anne nodded.

“You look tired.” Kendall gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest, and I’ll take Samantha home after camp today.”

Anne hesitated. “A nap does sound good. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Of course not; I’m more than happy to do it.”

“Can I talk you into staying for dinner?”

“I’d love to, Anne, but I really have to ride Wellington this evening. I’ve been ignoring him all week.”

“I have time this afternoon to exercise Wellington for you, if you want me to,” Jake said.

Kendall shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, Jake, but I really should ride him. Besides, Anne, the last thing you need is to wear yourself out cooking dinner.”

“It’s no problem. I’ll stop in town on my way home and pick something up. We’d love to have you. It will just be a relaxed family dinner.”

Kendall smiled. “Okay, if you’re sure it’s no bother, I’d love to.”

“Wonderful.”

Jake shifted towards the grassy area where the kids were sitting. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Cummings. Don’t forget to pass along my offer to help with Chancellor.”

“I will, Jake. Thank you.”

“Let me know if you change your mind about having me ride Wellington for you, Kendall,” Jake said over his shoulder as he walked off. “I promise I won’t cowboy him, if that’s what you’re afraid of. I’ll let him hack around like a nice quiet hunter.”

Kendall shook her head. “That’s not it at all. I trust you.”

Jake turned around. “Wait, say that again.”

“What?”

“What you just said.”

“
I trust you?”

Jake grinned. “That’s progress.”

Kendall blushed and made a face at him. “Never mind, I take it back.”

Anne smiled as she caught the look that passed between them. “Why don’t you join us for dinner, too, Jake?” she asked.

Jake glanced at Kendall before answering. “Thank you, ma’am, I’d like that very much.”

K
endall declined Samantha’s offer to go along while she and Doug gave Jake a tour of the barn.

“Thanks, sweetie, but I think I’ll stay here and help your mommy with dinner.”

“Okay. Come on, Daddy; come on, Jake.”

“Hold on, Sam.” Doug opened the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of beer. “Jake and I need a cold drink to take along.”

Jake grinned as he accepted the bottle from Doug. “You’re a man after my own heart.”

“Why don’t you take Rascal with you?” Anne suggested as Doug headed for the door. “It’s been awhile since he’s been outside.”

“Good idea, Mommy.”

“Actually, Sam, I don’t think the barn is the best place for a pup—”

Doug stopped when he caught the look Anne gave him. “On second thought, that’s a great idea. Come on, Rascal.” He knelt down to retrieve the puppy from its crate.

Anne smiled at Kendall and continued to stir the batter for the corn muffins.

Doug handed Rascal to Samantha and walked over to kiss Anne. “Bye, honey, we won’t be long.”

“Take your time. I’m not serving anything that’s complicated, so dinner will keep until you get back.”

“Rascal, no!” Samantha shouted.

Doug turned around. “What’s the matter?”

Samantha pointed to the hunt whip hanging from an iron horseshoe-shaped hook on the wall by the door. “Rascal was chewing on your hunt whip.”

Doug lifted the whip off the hook and ran his hand over the brown leather handle. “What part was he chewing?”

“The end.
Uh-oh, Daddy, look
. It’s all chewed up.”

“It was already like that, Sam,” Doug said, fingering the frayed cord at the end of the long leather thong. “That’s called the popper. It’s what makes the noise when I crack the whip.”

“That’s sure a nice-looking whip,” Jake said.

“Thanks.” Doug held it out for Jake to see.

Samantha stood on her tiptoes and peered over Doug’s arm. “It’s a really special whip because Daddy’s daddy gave it to him. See the writing on it?”

Jake peered at the engraved silver band below the horn handle. “
Good sport. Good friends. Well done.”
He smiled at Doug. “That’s nice.”

Doug nodded thoughtfully. “My father gave it to me when I was awarded my colors.”

“Awarded your colors? What does that mean?”

“It’s an honor bestowed by the master upon a member of the hunt, in recognition of the contributions that member has made to the hunt.” Doug hung the whip back on the hook.

“Contributions? You mean like money?” Jake asked.

Doug smiled. “Sometimes. But generally colors are awarded for good sportsmanship and hard work: clearing trails, hosting hunt breakfasts, walking hounds, things like that. You have to hunt regularly and be well turned out. And not make too many faux pas—like showing up late at the meet or hunting on a horse that kicks hounds.”

“Interesting. Do you get a ribbon or a trophy or something?”

Doug shook his head. “You get to wear buttons on your hunting coat with your hunt’s insignia on them and display the colors of the hunt on your coat collar. Each hunt has its own designated colors. Members of my hunt, the Middleburg Foxhounds, wear robin’s egg blue collars with navy piping.”

“And, more importantly, when men earn their colors, they’re allowed to wear a red coat,” Kendall said.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Not the ladies?”

Kendall smiled. “Doesn’t seem fair, does it? Ladies can only wear scarlet if they are a master or hunt staff.”

“It sure sounds like foxhunting has a lot of rules,” Jake said.

“It’s steeped in tradition, that’s for sure,” Doug agreed, opening the door. “Come on; if we’re going to give you a tour of the barn before dinner, we’d better get going.”

Kendall joined Anne at the window and watched Doug and Jake stroll side by side down the drive towards the barn, while Samantha ran ahead with Rascal. Doug must have said something funny, because Jake threw back his head and laughed.

“Doug and Jake appear to be hitting it off,” Kendall said.

Anne nodded, keeping her eyes on Doug. “I’m glad. Maybe this evening will help Doug relax. He’s trying to hide it from me, but I can tell he’s wound pretty tight.”

“What about you? You must be stressed-out beyond belief after what you’ve been through.”

Anne glanced wearily at Kendall. “I just feel like there’s a huge cloud of dread hanging over us, and I’m so on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Kendall nodded sympathetically. “I don’t blame you. But Doug’s hired guards now. Doesn’t that make you feel safer?”

Anne sighed. “Safer, but never safe. Never completely safe.”

Kendall put her arm around Anne and they watched in silence until Doug and Jake disappeared around the bend in the drive.

Anne picked up the bowl of corn bread batter. “I’d better get these muffins in the oven.”

Kendall helped Anne prepare the salad and had just finished setting the table when Doug, Jake, and Samantha returned.

“Perfect timing,” Anne said, setting a platter in the center of the round walnut table. “I hope you like crab cakes, Jake.”

“I can’t say as I’ve ever had them, Mrs. Cummings, but they sure look good. We don’t eat a lot of seafood in Oklahoma.”

Anne smiled at him. “I can see why, with all that good Oklahoma beef.”

“Mommy, I don’t like crab cakes,” Samantha said, wrinkling her nose.

“I know that, and that’s why I made you a tuna sandwich.”

Samantha pulled out her chair. “Yummy!”

“Wait a minute, young lady. Didn’t you forget something?” Anne asked, steering Samantha towards the sink.

“Oh, Mommy, do I have to? I’m
starving
, and my hands aren’t even dirty.”

“Here, let me help,” Kendall said, turning the water on for Samantha. She squirted liquid soap on Samantha’s hands. “They’re not dirty, huh? Weren’t you just down at the barn?”

Samantha squeezed the soap foam between her fingers to make bubbles. “Yes, but that’s horse dirt. That’s different from
dirt
dirt.”

“Speaking of going down to the barn, didn’t you have a four-legged friend with you when you left here?” Anne asked, raising an eyebrow at Doug.

“Rascal was really tired from running down to the barn, and he fell asleep in Chancellor’s stall,” Samantha said. “You should have seen him, Mommy; he was all curled up in the hay and he looked so cute. Daddy said we could let Rascal sleep there while we eat dinner, and then he’ll go back to the barn and get him.”

Doug put his arms around Anne. “And don’t forget to tell Mommy that I also said it would be nice for her, so she won’t have to listen to Rascal whining to get out of his crate while we’re eating dinner.”

Kendall felt a stab of loneliness as she watched Anne smile at Doug and kiss him, and as she looked away to grab a paper towel for Samantha, she noticed Jake studying Doug and Anne as well.

“Come on, Kendall, I want you and Jake to sit next to me, okay?” Samantha grabbed Kendall’s hand and pulled her towards the table.

Kendall looked away from Jake. “Sure, Samantha, I’d love to.”

Samantha patted the chair to her left. “Come on, Jake, you sit right here.”

“All right.” Jake pushed Samantha’s chair in and held the chair to her right out for Kendall.

“Thanks,” Kendall said, sitting down.

“Can I say the prayer?” Samantha asked.

Anne nodded.

“Okay.” Samantha reached her hands out to Kendall and Jake. “Dear God, thank you for my mommy and daddy, and for my new baby sister or brother, and for Kendall, and for my new friend Jake. And thank you so much, God, for Rascal. And please take good care of my mommy and daddy in heaven. And help Chancellor get all better soon so he can come home. Amen. Oh, and, dear God, please help take care of my daddy so he doesn’t get hurt again. Amen.”

Doug kept his hands folded in prayer. “And please take good care of Samantha in riding camp tomorrow, and let her have a safe field trip to the little horse land on Saturday.”

Samantha giggled. “It’s called the
Land of Little Horses
, Daddy.”

Doug winked at her. “I’m sure God knows what I meant.”

Anne smiled and picked up her fork. “Enjoy your meal.”

Jake took a small bite of a crab cake and chewed hesitantly, then took a larger forkful. “The crab cakes are delicious, Mrs. Cummings.”

“Thank you, Jake. But I can’t claim any credit; I picked them up at Market Salamander in Middleburg on my way home this afternoon.”

They were interrupted by a high-pitched tone from the security panel, and Doug pushed his chair back and placed his napkin on the table.